12/13/2007

Illinois, USAMysterious Boom SoundsIn the town of Sheridan residents reported a loud 'boom' and rumbling earth. "Our front windows kind of rattled and we heard the boom. We thought it must have been thunder." "My uncle called and said his whole house was rattling." The shaking lasted about three seconds. "It sounded like a little low rumble of thunder." Sheridan police began receiving phone calls from confused residents about 11:30 a.m. Rumors circulated the rumbling was an earthquake, and one resident was continuously checking the U.S. Geological Survey's Web site for any indication of earthquake activity in the area. She found none. According to the Illinois State Geological Survey, there was no indication of an earthquake in Northern Illinois Tuesday. The last earthquake was a 2.5 recorded was on Nov. 28 in the southeastern portion of the state, along the Wabash River. Emergency management officials in La Salle County said the cause of the rumbling - which was felt as far as Seneca - is undetermined. "For the moment, we're going to list it as unknown."